In 1992, CBS commissioned 6 episodes of the Aaron Spelling's TV series '2000 Malibu Road' for a trial summer run. The first 2 episodes were shown back-to-back on a Sunday night following 'Murder, She Wrote'. It was "the most-watched summer drama premiere" on television at the time, attracting 16.1% rating and 28% share (about 23 million viewers). The remaining 4 episodes were shown on Wednesday nights opposite 'Seinfeld' and 'Melrose Place'. Aaron lamented, "It's sad. There are so few independent companies left in the business. It's hard to get a show on the air and then you find out you are against yourself . . . which child do you root for ('2000 Malibu Road' or 'Melrose Place')?"
'2000 Malibu Road' was a collaboration between CBS and movie director Joel Schumacher. Terry Louise Fisher of 'L.A. Law' created the series. Filmed in Los Angeles and Malibu, '2000 Malibu Road' sought to explore the lives of 4 women living together at a Malibu beachfront house. "These stories go on for years," Joel remarked. Jennifer Beals played an attorney and roommate, "What I like about her is that on the outside she is very together, very motivated. She can be quite cynical, quite dry. It's all a cover. I wouldn't be interested in a character who was smooth and perfect. No one's like that. Everyone has her secret and Achilles heel. I feel she comes to Malibu seeking a sanctuary from all her problems."
Lisa Hartman Black played the landlady and a former call girl who charged $4000 per interlude, "They're complicated women. It's adult stuff . . . We deal with sexual situations and deal with real life problems . . . We all have secrets. I knew this wasn’t going to be (gratuitous) because of Joel and Terry.
It is real life, whether you like it or not. You don't have to like her (Jade), but they will grow to accept her. I like playing her because she's made this choice. She's brave enough to do that. It's a big risk. She's decided to swing without a safety net." Brian Bloom observed, "The thing that is special about the show is that even though these women live in the same house, they each have their separate stories . . . Every week we will be shooting a mini, hour-long movie. It will be set up and more stylized like a movie."
Jennifer shared, "When I was staying there (Los Angeles) doing this show, '2000 Malibu Road' and Joel Schumacher was directing, he said he was thinking about the Bible and the devil. As a kid I had read the Bible a lot, and I said you know, there are not that many references to the devil. And we started to go over it, and I said, when I get home tonight I'm going to take out the Bible in the room, look at it, and see what I can find. And that night I went back to this room, I opened the Bible, and at the front of the Bible, on the (hotel) Chateau Marmont stationery, it says 'I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do', and it was signed Hunter S. Thompson. So I went through the Bible . . . and I was reading about the devil and reading about the devil and reading about the devil, and I got really tired. And it was one of those things where I fell asleep with all my clothes on in bed with the Bible next to me. And in my dream I feel the room shaking, and I'm scared to open my eyes, because I know that the devil will be at the end of my bed. And I get really brave and I open my eyes, and I realize it's just an earthquake."
The first Wednesday night episode of '2000 Malibu Road' attracted 12.1% rating and 20% share (about 17 million viewers); the 2nd episode attracted 10.4% rating and 17% share (about 14.5 million viewers); and the 3rd and 4th episodes showing back-to-back attracted 9.8% rating and 16% share (about 13.2 million viewers). It was noted the news program '48 Hours' following '2000 Malibu Road' consistently attracted 30% share. CBS decided not to pick up '2000 Malibu Road' as a midseason show. On reflection, Aaron admitted, "I think my biggest disappointment was probably the cancellation of '2000 Malibu Road'. I loved that show. The director, Joel Schumacher, is one of my closest friends and Drew Barrymore and I were real buddies. It was one of our biggest sellers overseas (*). 'Models Inc.' and 'Savannah' were huge there (foreign markets), as well."
(*) From the outset, Aaron made known, "We have already gotten some terrific offers. With Joel and those stars, they love motion-picture names over there (foreign markets). I must tell you it is not like anything else I have ever seen." It was understood an episode of '2000 Malibu Road' costed some $1.3 million to produce. It was, as Aaron acknowledged, one of "the most expensive shows we have ever produced. We are all over the place (filming). We go to hospitals, jails and restaurants. It certainly isn't Joel's fault. He has not gone (over schedule)." '2000 Malibu Road' ended with a cliffhanger.
When 'Seinfeld" started in the 1989-90 season, it was ranked the 46th most popular program on television. By the 4th season, 1992-93, 'Seinfeld' was the 3rd most-watched show on TV. In 1997-98, 'Seinfeld' "brought the curtain on 9 seasons" with the final episode attracting 41.3% rating (about 40.4 million homes with TV sets were counted watching) and 58% share (some 76 million viewers). Addressing the Television Critics Association winter press tour in January 1996, Jerry Seinfeld was matter-of-fact, "Fun is something you almost don't know what it is unless you're having it. It's pretty hard to define, and it just seems to happen on its own, especially when it's unplanned.
"This year (the 1995-96 season, 'Seinfeld' 7th season), we suddenly have been having a lot more fun than we thought we were going to have. And as a result, we've decided to continue the show into next season (1996-97). We all said that we thought that this was going to be the last year at the beginning, but as the season went on, we were laughing so much and having so much fun and enjoying each other’s company so much – just like we did at the beginning, when we were a bomb, and never really cared that our ratings weren't good, because we just enjoyed being with each other and telling jokes."
Of when the final season should be, Jerry made the comment, "I'd describe it like when you're sitting at a dinner table and with friends – you go out, you have a good time, the food is good, you have the coffee and dessert – and you're all just kind of sitting there. And there's that moment when somebody goes, 'All right, let's go'. Nobody says they're gonna say that, somebody just says it, and the evening is over, and everyone gets up and leaves. But I guess we're at the point where the waitress comes over and says, 'more coffee?' And everyone goes, 'Yeah.'"
Jennifer shared, "When I was staying there (Los Angeles) doing this show, '2000 Malibu Road' and Joel Schumacher was directing, he said he was thinking about the Bible and the devil. As a kid I had read the Bible a lot, and I said you know, there are not that many references to the devil. And we started to go over it, and I said, when I get home tonight I'm going to take out the Bible in the room, look at it, and see what I can find. And that night I went back to this room, I opened the Bible, and at the front of the Bible, on the (hotel) Chateau Marmont stationery, it says 'I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I do', and it was signed Hunter S. Thompson. So I went through the Bible . . . and I was reading about the devil and reading about the devil and reading about the devil, and I got really tired. And it was one of those things where I fell asleep with all my clothes on in bed with the Bible next to me. And in my dream I feel the room shaking, and I'm scared to open my eyes, because I know that the devil will be at the end of my bed. And I get really brave and I open my eyes, and I realize it's just an earthquake."
The first Wednesday night episode of '2000 Malibu Road' attracted 12.1% rating and 20% share (about 17 million viewers); the 2nd episode attracted 10.4% rating and 17% share (about 14.5 million viewers); and the 3rd and 4th episodes showing back-to-back attracted 9.8% rating and 16% share (about 13.2 million viewers). It was noted the news program '48 Hours' following '2000 Malibu Road' consistently attracted 30% share. CBS decided not to pick up '2000 Malibu Road' as a midseason show. On reflection, Aaron admitted, "I think my biggest disappointment was probably the cancellation of '2000 Malibu Road'. I loved that show. The director, Joel Schumacher, is one of my closest friends and Drew Barrymore and I were real buddies. It was one of our biggest sellers overseas (*). 'Models Inc.' and 'Savannah' were huge there (foreign markets), as well."
(*) From the outset, Aaron made known, "We have already gotten some terrific offers. With Joel and those stars, they love motion-picture names over there (foreign markets). I must tell you it is not like anything else I have ever seen." It was understood an episode of '2000 Malibu Road' costed some $1.3 million to produce. It was, as Aaron acknowledged, one of "the most expensive shows we have ever produced. We are all over the place (filming). We go to hospitals, jails and restaurants. It certainly isn't Joel's fault. He has not gone (over schedule)." '2000 Malibu Road' ended with a cliffhanger.
When 'Seinfeld" started in the 1989-90 season, it was ranked the 46th most popular program on television. By the 4th season, 1992-93, 'Seinfeld' was the 3rd most-watched show on TV. In 1997-98, 'Seinfeld' "brought the curtain on 9 seasons" with the final episode attracting 41.3% rating (about 40.4 million homes with TV sets were counted watching) and 58% share (some 76 million viewers). Addressing the Television Critics Association winter press tour in January 1996, Jerry Seinfeld was matter-of-fact, "Fun is something you almost don't know what it is unless you're having it. It's pretty hard to define, and it just seems to happen on its own, especially when it's unplanned.
"This year (the 1995-96 season, 'Seinfeld' 7th season), we suddenly have been having a lot more fun than we thought we were going to have. And as a result, we've decided to continue the show into next season (1996-97). We all said that we thought that this was going to be the last year at the beginning, but as the season went on, we were laughing so much and having so much fun and enjoying each other’s company so much – just like we did at the beginning, when we were a bomb, and never really cared that our ratings weren't good, because we just enjoyed being with each other and telling jokes."
Of when the final season should be, Jerry made the comment, "I'd describe it like when you're sitting at a dinner table and with friends – you go out, you have a good time, the food is good, you have the coffee and dessert – and you're all just kind of sitting there. And there's that moment when somebody goes, 'All right, let's go'. Nobody says they're gonna say that, somebody just says it, and the evening is over, and everyone gets up and leaves. But I guess we're at the point where the waitress comes over and says, 'more coffee?' And everyone goes, 'Yeah.'"
